(Scene: A New Problem)
I leaned against the wall of my tiny apartment, arms crossed.
Across the room, sitting primly on my ratty old couch like it was a throne, sat the golden-haired girl — no, the princess — Lilia Estelle.
It had been a long, awkward walk back from the alley.
Now she was staring at me expectantly, hands folded in her lap, like this was all perfectly normal. "You can go home now," I said again.
She shook her head firmly, her blonde hair shimmering. "I cannot return yet," she said, her voice calm but determined. "The men who chased me are still searching. It would endanger not only me, but my entire kingdom if I am captured." "...Kingdom?" I repeated blankly. "Arcelis," she said, like I should've heard of it. (I hadn't.)
(Scene: Negotiations Fail)
"Listen," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I live alone for a reason. I don't do roommates. Especially not princesses." "Then you can simply think of me as... a very important guest," she said sweetly. "No." "A temporary housemate?" she tried again. "No." "Your destined bride?" she said, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "ABSOLUTELY NOT."
She pouted, looking genuinely hurt. "If you turn me away, I shall surely be captured... and terrible consequences will fall upon your world as well..." she said dramatically, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead like a tragic heroine in a soap opera.
I stared at her blankly.
Five seconds later, I sighed and ran a hand through my messy hair. "...Fine. One night. That's it," I muttered. "Hooray!" she said, bouncing happily on the couch.
What the hell was I getting myself into? (Scene: Survival Supplies)
Fifteen minutes later, we stood awkwardly outside a discount clothing store.
Lilia, still wearing her now-torn royal dress, was attracting way too much attention.
I shoved my hands in my pockets, feeling the weight of my wallet. (There goes this month's gaming budget.)
"Alright," I said, pointing at the store. "Get something normal. T-shirts. Jeans. Sneakers. Stuff you can actually wear in public without looking like you escaped from a medieval castle."
She beamed at me like I had just handed her the keys to the kingdom. (Scene: Shopping Chaos)
Inside, chaos reigned.
Lilia treated every rack of clothes like it was a treasure trove.
She gasped at sparkly tops. Twirled in front of mirrors with frilly skirts. Tried to balance a floppy sun hat on her head and nearly knocked over an entire display.
Meanwhile, I followed her around like a reluctant bodyguard, arms growing heavier with every new thing she insisted on "just trying." "Is this how commoners shop?" she whispered at one point, wide-eyed, holding up a ridiculously glittery pink jacket. "Yeah," I deadpanned. "Exactly like this." (Somewhere, my soul died a little.)
(Scene: The Encounter)
Finally, after what felt like three years, we staggered out with several shopping bags.
The sun was setting — golden light spilling over the quiet street.
I relaxed slightly.
Maybe this disaster was finally under control.
Maybe — "Yo, Ren?"
I froze.
Slowly, like a horror movie character hearing the killer behind him, I turned.
Standing there, grinning in a tracksuit and holding a bag of snacks, was Kaito Hayama — one of the only people at school who knew my name. (And the last person I wanted to see right now.)
His gaze flickered between me... and the girl clinging to my arm, carrying three shopping bags, looking way too comfortable.
Kaito's smile grew about a hundred times more evil. "Well, well," he said. "Didn't know you had a girlfriend, man."